Review: REVENGE SONG Rocks the Real-Life Journey of Queer 17th Century French Swordswoman Julie d'Aubigny in Rocky Horror Style

Since the world premiere of Vietgone in 2015, Qui Nguyen has become one of the most lauded and sought-after contemporary American Playwrights, as well as being a writer for Marvel and Disney. The world premiere of REVENGE SONG, his new rousing, romping, music-filled look at the real life of Julie d'Aubigny, a queer 17th century French swordswoman and opera singer, offers an exciting, entertaining, and rollicking theatrical experience, ingeniously directed by Robert Ross Parker that is sure to please rowdy fans of The Rocky Horror Picture Show during the heroine's interactive journey toward self-discovery and acceptance.

REVENGE SONG, which Qui Nguyen built with his OBIE Award-winning, New York-based Vampire Cowboys Theater Company that develops new action/adventure plays with a comic book aesthetic, is being presented as a Geffen Playhouse commission in which conversations about gender and sexuality blend together with the outrageous fun and superhero style to create a genre unto itself - a hilarious, historical comedy with hip hop, rock and epic fight scenes. Adding to the fun are satirical references to more musicals than I could count, including Hamilton, Cabaret, Company, Avenue Q, Beauty and the Beast, and Bye Bye Birdie.

The show opens with its emcee, Madame de Senneterre (Amy Kim Waschke, dressed in leather and using a riding crop to her attention-grabbing advantage to set the tone of audience participation appropriate during the show) introducing Julie d'Aubigny, a 17th century French swordswoman and opera singer on the verge of discovering her true queer nature. Energetic and sexy Margaret Odette bring Julie fully to riotous life, from her upbringing as a courtesan through her self-realization that there was more to life than being a wife a mother unable to speak up for herself or her own needs.

Many technical elements enhance this awesome world premiere, including scenic and lighting design by Nick Francone, outrageously perfect costumes by Jessica Shay, sound design by Shane Rettig, projections designed by Kaitlyn Pietras and Jason H. Thompson which take us from the streets of Paris to the wondrous world of French royalty where puppets and creatures designed by David Valentine offer moments of real belly laughs, while Ryan O'Connell's music direction and vocal arrangements, choreography by Stacy Dawson Stearns, and fight choreography (with lots of great fencing and sword play) by Maggie MacDonald and Tim Brown will keep totally engaged with Julie during her exciting life adventures.

Grab your tickets soon before performances sell out! REVENGE SONG: A VAMPIRE COWBOYS CREATION, written by Qui Nguyen and directed by Robert Ross Parker continues through Sunday, March 8 on Tuesday-Friday at 8:00 p.m., Saturday at 3:00 and 8:00 p.m., and Sunday at 2:00 and 7:00 p.m. in the Gil Cates Theater at Geffen Playhouse, 10886 Le Conte Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90024. Tickets currently priced at $30- 120, available in person at The Geffen Playhouse box office, by phone at 310.208.5454 or online at www.geffenplayhouse.org. Rush tickets for each day's performance are made available to the general public 30 minutes before showtime at the box office. $35General/$15 Student. Please note this production includes graphic adult language and situations, so leave the kids at home!

Photo credit: Jeff Lorch